Vacuum cleaner filter bag



Sheet 1 of 2 Jan. 14, 1969 J. .1. FEsco VACUUM CLEANER FILTER BAG vFiled Jan. 31, 1967 Y MT 4 a a w 0 6 3 flzzflfimzfl fi wfi a, o i i w aa, W n.

Jan. 14, 1969 J FESCQ, 3,421,683

VACUUM CLEANER FILTER BAG Filed Jan. 31, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2h-sv.........1'-1 1-1.... III.

INVENTOR.

United States Patent York Filed Jan. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 612,879 US. Cl.22953 Int. Cl. B65d 31/00; B65d 33/00; B01d 29/10 8 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with providing a highly novelvacuum cleaner filter bag which can be manufactured on machinerydesigned for relatively small volume vacuum cleaner filter bags, and yetwhich bag during use can be adjusted to accommodate a vacuum cleanerrequiring both a larger volume bag and more specially adapted bag thancan be manufactured on the said machinery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates in general to disposable type filter bags for use with vacuumcleaning devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a filterbag as above which is expansible to both a larger sized bag as well as abag having a structure which can be adapted to specially constructedvacuum cleaner devices.

Description of the prior art Paper bag making machinery is usuallydesigned for the manufacture of a paper bag of particular dimensions andespecially particular wi-dthwise dimensions. Consequently, where it isdesired to make paper bags of various widthwise dimensions and specialshapes adapted to different shaped vacuum cleaning devices, differentmachines have to be set up to take care of the different bag sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, among one of the principalobjects of this invention to provide a highly novel vacuum cleanerfilter bag which can be manufactured on machinery designed forrelatively small volume vacuum cleaner filter bags, and yet which bagduring use can be adjusted to accommodate a vacuum cleaner requiring alarger volume bag as well as a bag having a structure adapted to fitinto a specially shaped or constructed vacuum cleaner device.

In accordance with the present invention, there has now been provided ahighly novel vacuum cleaner filter bag having an expansible widthwisecapacity and an off-center aperture associated therewith to which amounting collar is attached. The action of expanding the widthwisedimensions of the bag simultaneously exposes said off-center aperture towhich said collar is attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be hereinafter morefully describe-d with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank utilized in the manufacture of anexpansible, specially shaped bag pursuant to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the initialsteps in the formation of a bag bottom on a tube formed from the blankshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 illustrate successive steps in forming the bagbottom;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the bag tube of FIGURE 5 takenalong line 6-6 in the direction of the arrows located over the referencenumerals;

FIGURE 7 is a view showing the bag in its expanded condition with anoff-center aperture associated therewith, with a portion of the bag wallcut away;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of FIGURE 7 showing a collar mounted onthe said off-center aperture; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view in cross-section of FIGURE 8 takenalong line 9-9 in the direction of the arrows located behind thereference numerals.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the figures indetail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a blank 10 of paper sheet materialsubstantially rectangular in conformation. As here shown, the blank 10is provided with fold lines 12 and 14 which extend longitudinallythereof respectively adjacent to the longitudinal marginal edges 16 and18 thereof. Between said longitudinal edge 16 and the opposinglongitudinal edge 18 the blank is provided with eleven transverse foldlines which are spaced laterally between the shorter en-d edges 20 and22 of the rectangular blank, said fold lines being indicated by thereference numerals 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38,40, 42 and 44,respectively.

The blank is provided with a first slit 46 which extends inwardly fromlongitudinal edge 16 between edge 20 and fold line 24 and whichterminates inwardly of fold line 12. A fold line 48 extends from theinner end of slit 46 to the intersection of fold lines 14 and 26. Asecond slit 50 is provided between fold lines 28 and 30' and extendsinwardly from longitudinal edge 16 and terminates inwardly of fold line12. A fold line 52 extends from the inner end of slit 50 to theintersection of fold lines 14 and 26. A third slit 54 extends inwardlyfrom longitudinal edge 16 between fold lines 38 and 40 and whichterminates inwardly of fold line 12. A fold line 56- extends from theinner end of slit 54 to the intersection of fold lines 14 and 36.

Longitudinal edge 16 is also provided with three cutout portions (orslots) 58, 60 and 62 which extend inwardly from longitudinal edge 16 andwhich terminate inwardly of fold line 12 at the same termination pointsas slits 46, 50 and 54. Slot 58 is situated between slit 50 and foldline 34; slot 60 is centrally located between fold lines 34 and 38, andfold line 36 if extended upward would bisect slot 60; slot 62 is locatedbetween slit 54 and fold line 44. A fold line 64 extends from the corner66 of slot 58 to the intersection of fold lines 14 and 36. It will benoted that the end edge 20 and the fold line 24 define a panel A; foldline 24 and fold line 26 define a panel B; fold line 26 and fold line 28define a panel C; fold line 28 and fold line 30 define a panel D; foldline 30 and fold line 32 define a panel E; fold line 32 and fold line 34define a panel F; fold line 34 and fold line 36 define a panel G; foldline 36 and fold line 38 define a panel H; fold line 38 and fold line 40define a panel I; fold line 40 and fold line 42 define a panel K; foldline 42 and fold line 44 define a panel L; while fold line 44 and endedge 22 define a panel M.

FIGURE 6 illustrates in cross-section a bag tube 68 which is formed byfolding the blank 10 along the various transverse fold lines 24 through44 thereof. It will be understood that the tube 68 is formed byadhesively securing the end edges 20 and 22 in overlapping relation,defining a front panel 70 for the bag which is formed by blank panels A,M and L. The front side panel I stands alongside the front main panel70. The bag is provided with a rear main panel D which is stoodalongside of panel F. Panels B and C define a gusset 72 between panels70 and D. Similarly, a gusset 74 is defined by panels K and J; a gusset76 is defined by panels H and G; and a gusset 78 is defined by panels Eand and F.

Stripes of adhesive material are selectively applied to the blank 10.More specifically, and as best shown by FIGURES 1 to 4, a verticalstripe of adhesive material 80 is applied to the blank 10 along the slit46 outwardly towards edge 20, and terminating inwardly therefrom.Similarly, another vertical stripe of adhesive material 82 is applied tothe blank 10 along the slit 54, terminating at side 84 of slot 62. AnL-shaped adhesive stripe 86 is applied to panel D inwardly of slit 50,terminating at the upper portion 88 of side 90 of slot 58.

The tube 68 is bottomed by displacing panels B, C, D, G, H and 70 (A, Mand L) in the direction of the arrows, as shown in FIGURE 2 initially,and showing successive bottoming steps in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, it be ingunderstood that the steps and operations for bottoming the tube 68 areconventional and well known in the art, and that the adhesive materialis actually applied when the tube is in the condition shown in FIGURES 3and 4, the showings of adhesive in FIGURES 1 and 2 being for purposes ofclarity of illustration. For this purpose, as is well known, the gusset72 is provided with diagonal fold lines 100 and 102 which extend fromthe longitudinal fold line 12 through longitudinal fold line 14, itbeing noted that the gusset 76 is provided with diagonal fold lines 104and 106 which extend similarly, as best shown in FIGURE 3.

With the gussets bent inwardly above the fold line 14, as illustrated inFIGURE 2, the tube 68 assumes the condition thereof illustrated inFIGURE 3. It will be noted that in said condition of the tube, theL-shaped adhesive stripe 86 forms a continuation of the linear adhesivestripe 108, while right triangular-shaped adhesive patch 110 is disposedbetween slit line 50 and fold line 12 outwardly of said linear adhesivestripe. A similar adhesive patch 112 is disposed between slit line 46'and fold line 12. Another linear adhesive stripe 114 extends in afashion parallel to stripe 108 with right triangularshaped adhesivepatches 116 and 118 being disposed between fold line 12 and edge 58 ofslot 58 and slit line 54', respectively.

In the next step, illustrated in FIGURE 4, the panels 70 and I are bentupwardly along the fold line 12. This causes panel 70 to be adhesivelypartially secured at the bottom end of tube 68 to the underlyingadhesive stripes 80, 108 and 112, and also causes panel I to beadhesively secured by means of stripe 82 on stripe 114, and alsoadhesive patch 118 securing up to fold line 106.

In the final step of the bottoming operation, panels D, E and F are bentdownwardly along fold line 12 from the position thereof illustrated inFIGURE 4 to the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 5. It will benoted that when the panels are so folded the adhesive stripe 86 adheresto panel 70 and onto adhesive stripe 108, while adhesive patch 110adheres up to fold line 100, and also adhesive stripe 114 adheres ontoitself, and adhesive patch 116 adheres up to fold line 104.

As a result of the foregoing adhesive securement at the bottomed end 122of the tube 68, there is now defined a bag 124 having a tubular body 126and a bottom end 122, the tubular body being open at the other endthereof. In order to seal this said end, it is sealed upon itself atadhesive stripes 128 by folding the end over twice so as to form aclosed end 130 opposite the bottom end 122, as best shown in FIGURES 3and 7. It will also be apparent from the foregoing description that noneof the adhesive stripes extend into or contact the panels 70 and J atthe front side of the bag, or the panels D and F at the rear side of thebag, or middle panels G and H. These unsecured panels extend into thebag bottom 122 inwardly from the fold lines 12 which now define thelongitudinal marginal edges of the bag bottom, as will be apparent fromFIGURE 5. These unsecured panels in essence define pleats which extendlongitudinally of the front and rear surfaces of the bag and into thebottom 122. These pleats permit for the extension or expansion of thebag.

More specifically, FIGURE shows the bag 124 (frag mented) in thecontracted and collapsed condition thereof with the bottom end 122 ofthe bag folded against the bag body 126.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the bag in the open but contracted positionthereof, the bag being shown as having a generally rectangular shapedoff-center aperture 132 at one end of the bag body 126, and the closedend being shown at the bottom of the bag, the gussets 74 and 78 beingopen or expanded. This expansion of the bag with its attendantoff-center aperture 132 is accomplished simultaneously by grasping thebottom 122 at the opposite ends thereof and moving one end in thedirection as indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 5, i.e., towards the saidgussets. The condition of the bag in FIGURE 5 permits the bag to bestored or transported in a relatively small space. However, pursuant tothe invention, it is possible to expand the bag 124 so that it cancontain a large volume of contents and have an off-center aperture aswell, even though it was manufactured with conventional bag machinerydesigned to accommodate a bag which is equal in size to that shown inFIGURE 5 in the collapsed condition.

By looking at FIGURE 6 it will be apparent just how the pleats or panelsE, F, G, H, J and K being unsecured are free to expand by the pullingaction in the direction of the arrow, as shown in FIGURE 5. It will alsobe noted by viewing FIGURE 5 that fold lines 110, 112', 116' and 118'now overlie the original fold lines 100, 102, 104 and 106, respectively.The tab 83 was formed by slit 54 and slot 62 of the blank and is nowseen in FIGURES 5 and 7 as adhered to panels G and H by adhesive stripe82. It will be noted that tab 83 prevents the bottom 122 from beingcompletely sealed since there is no adhesive material on its outersurface, the adhesive stripe being only at 82, the inner surfacethereof. If this were not so, then obviously the bag bottom 122 couldnot be expanded. In effect, the bag 124 can be considered as onlypartially bottomed, or partially secured at the bottom.

In order to form the vacuum cleaner bag 140, the bag 124 is fitted witha collar 142 on the expanded bottom 123, said collar being adapted to bein registry with offcenter aperture 132 by having a rectangular-shapedaperture 150 of about the same size as aperture 132. The collar 142 isof conventional construction, preferably being formed of paperboard orcardboard, and as mentioned is adapted to overlie and be in registrywith said aperture 132. The said collar 142 is also provided with a peak144 which is attached to and is movable on side 146 of said collar 142,said movability being provided by a longitudinal slash approximatelyhalfway into said side 146, so that said peak 144 can be moved down withrelation to a top plan view of the said collar, and conversely also canbe moved up to the same plane as it was in originally. The bag may be ofthe disposable type.

The vaccum cleaner bag 140 is mounted in conventional fashion in avacuum cleaner, the collar 142 serving to support the filter bag inconventional manner. The inlet end of a vacuum cleaner conduit suitablyadapted is readily insertable into the bag by inserting the conduitthrough the aperture 132 in registry with the collar 142. The feature ofthe off-center aperture 132 provides for that type of vacuum devicewherein this feature is either essential or desirable such as, forexample, by reasons of construction of the vacuum device, or by reasonof placement of its motor, or for reasons of the like. When the conduitis so inserted, as above, then the dirt-laden air may be introduceddirectly into the filter bag in a conventional manner. When the aircarrying the dirt is introduced, of course the bag expands to its fullvolume capacity, including the gusset 76 shown in FIGURES 5-9 asunex-panded.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has beenillustrated and described a highly novel expandable vacuum cleanerfilter bag having an off-center aperture and collar fitted thereto,which has the outstanding advantage that it can be formed onconventional bag making machinery for making relatively narrow bags andthereafter expanded into a larger volume bag even though the machineryfor forming smaller sized bags was utilized in the manufacture thereof.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications maybe madetherein without, however, departing from the basic inventive conceptthereof as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum cleaner filter bag formed of a blank sheet of materialfolded to define a front wall, a rear wall, and opposing sides, said bagbeing closed at one end thereof and bottomed at the other end thereof,each of said walls being interconnected with means for increasing thewidthwise dimension thereof, the action of increasing said widthwisedimension thereby providing said bag simultaneously with an ex-pansiblewidthwise capacity and off-center access means associated therewith,said access means giving access to the interior of said bag, a mountingcollar for said bag with means defining an opening in said collar, saidaccess means and said opening means being in registry, said means forincreasing the widthwise dimension comprising pleats connected with eachof said walls and extending longitudinally thereof, said pleats beingmovable transversely of the respective walls to increase the surfacethereof.

2. A vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1 wherein said accessmeans are disposed to be located over the expanded portion of said wallswhen said pleats are moved transversely with respect to said walls.

3. A vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 2 wherein saidoff-center access means is an aperture substantially rectangular inform.

4. A vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1 wherein aid frontand rear walls each comprise a main panel, said means for increasing thewidthwise dimension comprising laterally extensible pleatsinterconnecting said main panels by one longitudinal end of eachthereof, each pleat comprising a reflexed panel normally disposedbetween said main panels and movable into planar relation therewith toextend the width of the associated wall, the lateral extension of saidpleats simultaneously exposing said off-center access means associatedtherewith, said access means being originally defined inside thepartially bottomed portion of said bag.

5. A vacuum cleaner filter bag according ;to claim 1 wherein saidopposing sides consist of a gusseted end wall as; one opposing sidethereof and a plurality of gusseted end walls as the other opposing sidethereof.

6. A-vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising a tube of filter sheetmaterial, said tube having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposingsides, said tube being closed at one end thereof and bottomed at theother, each of said walls comprising a main panel, said walls havingmeans for increasing the widthwise dimension thereof, said means forincreasing comprising a plurality of laterally extensible pleatsinterconnecting said main panels at one longitudinal end of eachthereof, each pleat comprising a refiexed panel normally disposedbetween said main panels and movable into planar relation therewith toextend the width of the associated panel, the lateral extension of saidpleats simultaneously exposing an off-center access means associatedtherewith, said access means communicating to the interior of said tube,and a mounting collar for said tube with means defining an opening insaid collar, said access means and said opening means being in registry,said access means being initially defined inside the bottomed end ofsaid bag, said bottomed end being unsecured for a portion thereof so asto allow the lateral extension of said pleats and exposure of saidaccess means.

7. A vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 6 wherein said accessmeans comprises an aperture substantially rectangular in form.

8. A vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising a tube of filter sheetmaterial, said tube having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposingsides, said opposing sides comprising a gusseted end wall as oneopposing side thereof and three gusseted end walls as the other opposingside thereof, said tube being closed at one end thereof and bottomed atthe other, each of said walls comprising a main panel, said walls havingmeans for increasing the widthwise dimension thereof, said means forincreasing comprising a plurality of laterally extensible pleatsinterconnecting said main panels at one longitudinal end of eachthereof, each pleat comprising a refiexed panel normally disposedbetween said main panels and movable into planar relation therewith toextend the width of the associated panel, the lateral extension of saidpleats simultaneously exposing an off-center access means associatedtherewith, said access means communicating to the interior of said tube,and a mounting collar for said tube with means defining an opening insaid collar, said access means and said opening means being in registry,said access means being initially defined inside the bottomed end ofsaid bag, said bottomed end being unsecured for a portion thereof so asto allow the lateral extension of said pleats and exposure of saidaccess means.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

' U.S. Cl. X.R.

